National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory Explained

The National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory (NAIRL) is a BSL3 facility in Harbin, China.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Leadership

• Hualan Chen^{[1] [2]}

History

In October 2019, scientists at the NAIRL reported on the development of a real-time RT-PCR test for the H5N6 virus.^[4]

On 2 February 2021, the NAIRL reported an outbreak in Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park, Haidian District, Beijing of a highly pathogenic H5N8 variant, which had a mortality rate of 1 in 5 Cygnus atratus (Anatidae) animals.^[5]

Notes and References

1. News: Connor . Steve . 'Appalling irresponsibility': Senior scientists attack Chinese researchers for creating new strains of influenza virus in veterinary laboratory . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/appalling-irresponsibility-senior-scientists-attack-chinese-researchers-creating-new-strains-influenza-virus-veterinary-laboratory-8601658.html . 2022-06-18 . subscription . live . The Independent . 2 May 2013.
2. News: Protecting people and animals from deadly flu viruses . UNESCO . 13 April 2016.
3. Web site: OIE/FAO Reference Laboratories and experts for highly pathogenic avian influenza and low pathogenic avian influenza (poultry) . OFFLU.net.
4. 10.1186/s12985-019-1229-2. Development of a duplex Taq Man real-time RT-PCR assay for simultaneous detection of newly emerged H5N6 influenza viruses. 2019. Liu. Lin. Zhang. Ying. Cui. Pengfei. Wang. Congcong. Zeng. Xianying. Deng. Guohua. Wang. Xiurong. Virology Journal. 16. 1. 119. 31640801. 6805314 . free .
5. News: Information received on 03/02/2021 from Dr Huang Baoxu, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group, Animal Health and Epidemiology Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Qingdao, China (People's Rep. of) . OIE . 2 February 2021.